5:1 I have entered my garden, O my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my balsam spice. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk! Eat, friends, and drink! Drink freely, O lovers! 

 

Solomon has entered his private garden of his new bride.

 

5:2 I was asleep, but my mind was dreaming. Listen! My lover is knocking at the door! “Open for me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one! My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.”

 

Shulamite has another nightmare. In this nightmare, Solomon is knocking on the door and wants admittance into his private garden. He comes from a long distance. There is dew in his hair, meaning that the season is springtime or summer. 

 

5:3 “I have already taken off my robe—must I put it on again? I have already washed my feet—must I soil them again?”

 

Shulamite rejects Solomon’s entrance into her private garden. She is sleeping nude in bed, which was common in the Middle East. She has already washed her feet. She does not want to go through all of this trouble again. She is giving her lover flimsy excuses.

 

5:4 My lover thrust his hand through the hole, and my feelings were stirred for him.

 

Solomon puts his hand through the hole in the door. Shulamite begins to get aroused.

 

5:5 I arose to open for my beloved; my hands dripped with myrrh— my fingers flowed with myrrh on the handles of the lock.

 

Shulamite opens the door. Solomon is not there. He gave up in frustration. He left perfume on the door handle.

 

5:6 I opened for my beloved, but my lover had already turned and gone away. I fell into despair when he departed. I looked for him but did not find him; I called him but he did not answer me.

 

Shulamite looks for Solomon, but she cannot find him. He had left, because of her flimsy excuses.

 

5:7 The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. They beat me, they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those watchmen on the walls!

 

The watchman find her. They think that she is a prostitute, so they treat her roughly. She runs away, but she loses her outer garment.

 

5:8 O maidens of Jerusalem, I command you— If you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him that I am lovesick!

 

Shulamite recruits the virgin maidens to help her find Solomon. They are to give him the message that she is ready for him to enter his private garden.

 

5:9 Why is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful of women? Why is your beloved better than others, that you would command us in this manner?

 

The virgin maidens ask Shulamite sarcastically, “Why is your husband so special that we should go to all of this trouble?

 

5:10 My beloved is dazzling and ruddy; he stands out in comparison to all other men.

 

Shulamite answers. “Dazzling and ruddy” means that Solomon possessed royal blood.

 

5:11 His head is like the most pure gold. His hair is curly—black like a raven.

 

Solomon had beautiful black and curly  hair.

 

5:12 His eyes are like doves by streams of water, washed in milk, mounted like jewels.

 

Solomon had beautiful and compassionate eyes.

 

5:13 His cheeks are like garden beds full of balsam trees yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with drops of myrrh.

 

Solomon had beautiful cheeks and lips.

 

5:14 His arms are like rods of gold set with chrysolite. His abdomen is like polished ivory inlaid with sapphires.

 

Solomon had strong arms and abdomen.

 

5:15 His legs are like pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars.

 

Solomon had long, strong legs, like those of the cedars of Lebanon.

 

5:16 His mouth is very sweet; he is totally desirable. This is my beloved! This is my companion, O maidens of Jerusalem!

 

Solomon said sweet words to Shulamite. She praised her husband in private. She did not say negative things about him in public.